Madeleine McCann: The Clock Is Ticking On Old News
WHAT odds that if she has not been found and a suspect been charged Madeleine McCann will no longer be on the main news bulletin come Monday?
Today we saw the shift. Not all tabloids are leading with Madeleine.
Back in 2001, after the attack on New York, the Economist magazine asked Anorak for its thoughts on the tabloid take on the big story. We noted that after 13 days of terror and death the Page 3 girls returned. They are Anorak’s “barometer of business as usual”.
Madeleine McCann is today’s big news story. How long can it dominate the front pages for?
Simon Jenkins writes:
In this voracious feeding frenzy the media presence in Portimao was reduced to extremes of invention to justify the prominence the story was getting back home. We learned of false sightings, car chases, child traffickers, barren women, beach paedophiles and dark dungeons. A “suspect” was enveloped in private detective work way beyond any consideration for natural justice. The sympathy a reader or viewer was bound to feel for the McCanns was overwhelmed in an exploitative swarm. Star footballers were signed up, as were Hell’s Angels, MPs wearing yellow ribbons and ministers meeting deputations. It was as if a missing child were this year’s Make Poverty History campaign.
We hope for a happy ending, that Madeleine will be found alive and well. But not many of us believe it will happen. And right now the story is where it is out of force of habit. There is no news from Portugal. But the media has it that if they turn away then all hope will be lost. The media is important. The Sun’s poster. The News of the World’s reward. David Beckham on the telly. Coronation Street’s plot.
So the Mirror shouts. The BBC commits resources. And viewers clap the noble stance. But there is more news. There is always news. Gordon Brown for PM. War in Iraq. Rachel Nikell. Amanda Dowler.
When does the media move on? When is it decent. When do they think they can..?
May 18th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Move on now
OR
Cover every single case of a missing child in the UK. Reports says there has ben 450 children reported missing sicne 3rd May. Why haven’t we heard anything bout these cases?
May 18th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
You may be right but lets make hay while the sun is shining as this coverage will undoubtedly lead to her being found. Lets not give them the excuse to stop their coverage now, wait till they actually stop. Although maybe you wanted to get your theory on the record now so you can say “told you so”! It would be a high price for a little girl to pay to prove your theory right.
And Ross are you trying to say that if we can’t save them all then don’t bother trying to save one… that’s a little defeatist and heartless. Maybe just maybe Madeleine’s disappearance will mean the plight of missing children will receive more media coverage in the future. If this is something you feel strongly about (although I suspect you are just taking a swipe at the media), you have a voice just like they have. Why don’t you set up your own website about missing children or are you all talk and no action?
May 18th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
Not news anymore - it’s an excuse for people without a life to get an emotional hard on over something other than Coro, probably the biggest one since Di. And please someone tell me the ugly kid from shitsville who might go missing next year because his parents were on the piss and too busy to hang around will get the same attention cos I doubt it.
May 18th, 2007 at 6:29 pm
If she was your daughter would she still be old news ?
We are responsable not just for our own children ,but for every child that is in need.
My blood runs cold to think that a child is lost alone and scared , but it terrifies me to think that a child is being kept by a sexual pervert and god knows what is happening to them .
If we can only help one of these children it is one battle won in the war on child abuse .
May 18th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I’m saying that if this kid was from an inner city slum, was non white, was from an unemployed family living on benefits and had gone missing after her parents had gone to the pub this story would have been viewed/covered in an entirely different light.
I hope the child is found, but ultimately if she is not the parnets have noone to blame but themselves. I also think the way that the UK media have whipped things into a frenzy - even creating the news through Murat - is shameful. I suspect Chris Morris is taking note!
May 18th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I agree with all comments in one way or another, if this had been someone on the dole from a council estate they would have been arrested for child neglect by now, but it really is too late now to blame anyone for this apart from whatever monster is responsible. Yes there are hundreds of thousands of children missing every year but should that make us all less sympathetic for this specific case. I say publicise them all but the truth is the world is unfair and this just wont happen so lets all strive to help those we can in every way. And also good comment Lucy there are too many people ready to comment but not help or take action in any way. Godbless Maddie and lets hope she is found soon.
May 18th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
My heart goes out to Madelines parents, granparents and all that know them. As a mother I could not imagine the pain they must be going through and no one has the right to accuse them of bad parenting. I believe she is still alive and think the coverage has been incredible as we are all hoping for a safe return. My thoughts and strong wishes are with them.
May 18th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I think it is awful what has happened to Maddie and I cannot even imagine what the parents are going through - nor would I want too… But, I agree with the others, If I had left my 2 boys alone in the house while I went to the pub, but checked on them “every half hour” I don’t believe the world would be showing as much support to myself and my husband had one of them been taken. I hope to God that she is returned safely to her family and they are all able to put this awful nightmare behind them and get on with their lives - but what about all these other children who go missing every year - they might not be as pretty as Maddie but they are all still so very important, surely they deserve to be mentioned and the public to be made aware of their dissapearance.
My thoughts go out to all parents of missing children…may they all be returned safely.
May 19th, 2007 at 12:29 am
I think the coverage is bordering on the ludicrous. It’s obviously a very sad case, but the (reputable) media has a responsibility to cover stories according to their genuine worth not mass hysteria. You expect the latter from the Daily Mail, but not the BBC. As for the majority general public, they go crazy for the anti-poverty message whilst their favourite pop stars promote, then forget; couldn’t really get off their backsides to raise awareness about genocide in Darfur, but will fly to Europe, distribute posters and promote constant awareness campaigns about one single missing girl. Why? Because she’s white, English and cute, and so can be imagined to be related to them. In a world of poverty, warfare and environmental crises, this is ridiculous…
May 19th, 2007 at 2:05 am
People are really mean (especially the lefties). Why are most of you so jealous of this little girl?? I hope the media keep up the pressure. That’s the only hope she has.
May 19th, 2007 at 2:45 am
maybe the same media priorities might not be lent to a child from a poorer family but at the end of all this ranting and raving about media coverage, somewhere out there a small child is frightened, confused, and missing her family. I know as a single parent that i would have been slated if id left my child at home but if i could have the same media coverage as this family are having, with the possibility that she might be returned because of it id be counting my blessings I wouldnt be slating them because they have advantages!!!. So, as a parent ask yourselves this- if it was YOUR child would YOU want the coverage stop? Would YOU want the world to stop looking? I bet you wouldnt. In an ideal world every child would have the same coverage and yes it might seem unfair to those who have lost a child in similar circumstance but i bet they would have given their life to have the same help being given to find little maddie. So stop your bickering and have a heart- she is a little girl, tiny, scared and right now in danger. if just one child can be helped then isnt that better than none?
May 19th, 2007 at 4:01 am
this is an interesting case in an era of mass media communication, namely the internet, cell phone cameras and their applicability to a worldwide search. if this deserving child is discovered in the process of all the media attention because of the incredible reach of the internet and world media (something not in existence 10 years ago), then certainly the media will have done the world a good turn and this might make kidnappers less likely to do what they do. politicians are watching their mouthes because of youtube, and rightly so. it would be nice if perverts had second thoughts because of the power of the media and the internet. remember, maddie’s photo is on the internet in morroco, russia, china, oman, EVERYWHERE. this might be an historic moment, and i hope the tide grows until some results are had. and if, at the very least, we all become more aware of child abduction, pedophilia networks and illegal adoption in the process, then the purveyors of those heinous activities will also need to consider their steps. turn up the lights, world, and help find this girl.
May 19th, 2007 at 5:28 am
Bravo boxengo. This little girl needs to be found. Let the light of media, internet, cell phones, sporting events, hope and goodness shine out and find her. If the tens of millions of hits on the website set up for her are any indication, this story is not going away any time soon.
If the good hearts of millions of people can join together and make a difference in this one case, they can do it again. Perverts and paedophiles have long had the advantage of “being everywhere” and all parents have had to protect their children from them constantly and alone. They move as predators unnoticed in our societies until they strike, and then often escape. It’s time for decent people to take back the world they have and make it better for everyone. If this many people can come together for a common greatest good it could be a real turning point in the affairs of our planet, for our children and for us all. I know this sounds a little “new age” but who could have predicted all of this. Bless Maddie and her family and all of those who care.
May 19th, 2007 at 9:59 am
She may be pretty white and middle class , but she is STILL missing, and she is what is important in this case, and of course all missing children should get the same coverage. But this has caught public imagination, she has family who can keep their act together for the press the police etc, and a large family support group back home.
But surely the point is not pillorying the parents whatever their background for ‘neglecting’ their child.
Whoever took her is at fault here
May 19th, 2007 at 11:04 am
If the media were to dedicate as much time and effort to every case of a missing child then there would be no reporting of any other news at all!
I am not saying that I am not sympathetic to the child - I am saying that I am angry at the lack of interest shown by the UK media in why the child was place in danger in the first place.
Also, the way that the Mr Murat and Malinko have been crucified in the UK press has been scandalous. Gulty or not, these men have been brandished for life and I fear for their safety.
And finally - the perception of paedophiles (and there is no evidence to suggest that this is what has caused this case as yet) is that they are ‘odd men’ who come in and take a child away from their family, but research has shown the vast majority of paedophiles commit offences against family members. This again is just part of the fear culture prominent in Britian today.
May 19th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
As I said yesterday in another thread, with all this talk of ‘organised paedophile networks’ (and the automatic assumption the girl has been ’snatched by a pervert’), I’d really like to see some evidence for the ‘global army of kiddie-fiddlers’ we keep hearing about from the media and from organisations with a vested interest in promoting such a perpetually frightening scenario.
This whole awful affair has only really served to highlight (again) the depths to which the popular press and TV media will sink in order to sensationalise and scare ordinary people, often in cahoots with briefings from child welfare organisations standing to make considerable PR (and other) gains from the exposure.
There seems to be little reasoned discussion. Instead, everyone reverts to a worryingly medieval state of mind and embarks on another witchunt - in which innocent individuals are often caught up, their lives ruined.
The UK media have emerged from this debacle, to date, looking tawdry and cheap. The BBC should certainly know better. But, as always, as soon as you chuck a missing kid into the mix all pretence of rational journalism, objective argument, takes the last train out of Reason Central.
I only hope the quiet Portugese authorities can somehow survive the onslaught from a vertitable army of UK ’specialists’ who seem to have taken it upon themselves to direct the investigation (the subtext being that Johnny Foreigner just isn’t up to it). I’m sure they are looking beyond the purile assumptions of a mythical paedophile network and are actively examining many other possible scenarios, including simple abduction, a very real chance the child has been smuggled out of the country already plus whole host of other possibilities.
Of course I hope the little girl comes home safely, but I also hope that a few good men and women somewhere in the centre of the circus tent in that small corner of Portugal can keep their perspective and focus on the task in hand, well away from the slavering UK press pack.
May 19th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Excellent post Dogstar.
May 19th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
FUCK OFF ROSS YOUR A PRICK
WHY DONT YOU GO FUCKIN KIDNAP A LITTLE GIRL.
COZ TO BE HONEST IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DO.
imagine how fucking scared that little girl is.
it fucking angers me to see how men could do this.
and no, im not bieng sexist…but look how many men are on the news for it.
sick basterds.
if anything has happened to that little girl, i will personally find the person who did it then i will stab the shit out of them.
i cant believe anyone could do this to a little fucking girl
and telling to people to move on is just fucking harsh
so fuck off now ross coz im still preying that little girl will come back home.
dickhead.
May 19th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
another thing is that to any person who rapes or murders anyone under the age of 16 should have death sentence
and not a nice one… hanging.
and i dont care if this is agest, children would not be able to handle it like over 16 yr olds could.
what is this world comming to..?
its way to politically correct and to be honest i think id rather go live in a different country
coz of stupid shit like changing “bah bah black sheep” to “bah bah multicloured sheep”
how fucking stupid can you get
anyone who gets offended by this
add my msn xxme_mexx@hotmail.com
coz i would like to hear what you would have to say
well laugh at it anyway
stupid dicks
and yes
i like swearing
i dont care
and yes im 16
so it propbly means i dont have an opinion
but i cant wait for the day all you shitheads realise whats actually happening to this fucking world
and by then its gunna be too late to make it better therefore
your gunna have to suffer with it
as soon as i have my a-levels
im moving.
another thing
english schools should stay the same i.e.
not change the dresscodes for dickheads who have to wear stupid shit for their religeon..i say this because
when we go to their country were not allowd to sunbathe even tho its godnoes how hot becuase they see it as disrespect
see what i mean by political correctness???
anyway.
i hope to god maddie is found ive prayed so much for her
please god find her safe
please
shes just a little girl
this shouldnt happen to a little girl
=[
May 19th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
I dont think I really have to dignify that post with a response, do I?
May 19th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37797
May 31st, 2007 at 12:52 am
What is so important about this little girl, that all the other children/people that have gone missing, ever, haven’t got? Is it because the parents a wealthier? There must be something. By all mean the parents and family etc etc should still mourn her loss, but the rest of us have lives to live! A friend of mines baby died last week not even three weeks old, to me that’s more important than some family I’ve never met.
May 31st, 2007 at 1:01 am
O, just a little side post, Abbie, you can tell that you’re only 16, 1. because your spelling, punctuation and grammar are still something to be desired, and 2. because you obviously can’t express yourself without swearing, and 3. You don’t seem to be able to read someones post and actually work out it’s meaning.
You see, each life is as worthy as the next, why give lots of media attention to one, when hundreds go missing all year round.
Also, if your posts are anything to go by, and you manage to get any worthwhile A-Levels, the education system is in a far worse state than I thought. (Worthwhile being, Maths, Science, Computing, English)
August 10th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
A child is a child whatever color that may be whether poor or rich. Why is Madeleine so important you say? She is a child. A life is important. I understand feeling for someone who is close to you, but in the way that you say that is like saying you don’t care in what happens to someone else. It reminds me of the story of the “good samaritan”. That’s what I want to be like. I want to care, and by the way I’m not religious, I’m real. Jesus has done too many things for me not to know that he exists. You can look even at nature and know He is real, but this is not about God, so I say I believe Madeleine is still alive and that she will be found soon. We shall see.
“Love your neighbor as your self”
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November 20th, 2007 at 11:24 am
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November 23rd, 2007 at 11:23 pm
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